Mandatory Helmet Laws & stuff (MHL discussion)

[diggler]

A Liberal Democrat has been elected to the Senate. This party is for freedom such as no compulsory bicycle helmets.

Congratulations to all those behind this successful campaign. No doubt a lot of shoe leather was spent door knocking getting this result.

Only a cynical person would say this success is due to a preference swap deal, confusion with the Liberals, a donkey vote or the position on the ballot paper.

[Mulger bill]

Shoulda known it'd be a waste of time reading the above

[il padrone]

A Liberal Democrat has been elected to the Senate. This party is for freedom such as no compulsory bicycle helmets....

Is that a specific policy statement or just a conclusion drawn from his general philosophy?

Beware, he's also an advocate of 'shooters rights' so god knows where this will take us. Hunting in National Parks, anyone? Re-introduction of recreational semi-automatic rifles?

[ldrcycles]

A Liberal Democrat has been elected to the Senate. This party is for freedom such as no compulsory bicycle helmets....

Is that a specific policy statement or just a conclusion drawn from his general philosophy?

Beware, he's also an advocate of 'shooters rights' so god knows where this will take us. Hunting in National Parks, anyone? Re-introduction of recreational semi-automatic rifles?

And what exactly would be wrong with either of those things?

[Mulger bill]

+1 to that. Well managed hunting in NPs just might go a long way towards controlling the introduced vermins species that do a great job of outcompeting the native fauna.

[il padrone]

+1 to that. Well managed hunting in NPs just might go a long way towards controlling the introduced vermins species that do a great job of outcompeting the native fauna.

I really doubt that is the sort of nobler goals the shooter rights mob have in mind

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/201 ... 568593.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The whole deal is on hold in NSW because of the incompetence and corruption of the Game Council.

[il padrone]

Beware, he's also an advocate of 'shooters rights' so god knows where this will take us. Hunting in National Parks, anyone? Re-introduction of recreational semi-automatic rifles?

And what exactly would be wrong with either of those things?

It's a joke, right ??

[Mulger bill]

No idea, haven't read their manifesto.

That lot weren't hunters but Bogans with guns. The SSAA and other state groups are working hard to get this kind out and away from the sport.
You did read further down where mention was made that suitable volunteers will be permitted to hunt ferals in NPs? This is a good thing.

[ldrcycles]

Beware, he's also an advocate of 'shooters rights' so god knows where this will take us. Hunting in National Parks, anyone? Re-introduction of recreational semi-automatic rifles?

And what exactly would be wrong with either of those things?

It's a joke, right ??

As the secretary of the local shooting club and holder of Category A, B and H licences I can assure you i'm not joking. MB has already pointed out the environmental (and consequent economic) benefits of hunting, allowing it in a strictly controlled manner (which is what is proposed) in National Parks is quite simply the BEST way of dealing with feral animal control.

Even with the issues that lead to the abolition of the Game Council, it was estimated that in the 2012/13 financial year the program was responsible for the culling of 1.25 million feral and game animals (I would suggest the vast majority would have been ferals such as rabbits and foxes) and the economic value of that hunting was estimated at nearly $80m.

With regards to the link you posted, does that mean I can post a link to an article about a cyclist running a red light and use that as evidence that all cyclists are lawless?

[il padrone]

Mr Leyonhjelm described his party as libertarian and said it advocated less government control, assisted suicide, a flat 20 per cent income tax rate and giving people right to carry concealed weapons for their personal safety.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/fe ... z2eJ40W6cA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not the sort of 'freedoms' I am interested in.

[human909]

I have no big objection to hunting or pest control. But more guns in the hands of people desperate to have more of them and bigger ones doesn't normally lead to improved civil liberties for all.

So about those helmets?

[high_tea]

In other Senate news, the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party looks to be half a chance of winning a seat, despite getting outpolled 4:1 on primary votes by the Sex Party (which speaks well of Victorian voters IMO; if that's the choice, the car can go hang for mine). They're also pushing national road rules and minimal government interference so who knows? they might come at MHL repeal. Sadly they aren't pushing for an end to above-the-line voting in the Senate, which is just hopelessly broken.

[Xplora]

LOL yeah in the race for cars, girls and rock and roll, girls must win. Not sure how the Senatr situation got so nutty. Expect the Coalition to direct the AEC to fix up the situation if they have to go double dissolution. I think that a focus on roads will be very helpful at this time - sitting in parliament has a calming effect on the grandiose ideas generated in a party meeting.

[lturner]

Liberal Democrats are definitely opposed to helmet laws:

http://ldp.org.au/policies/1166-victimless-crimes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I heard their senator on the radio a day ago and he specifically mentioned opposition to helmet laws as an example of their political outlook.

[outnabike]

I can see everyone including pedestrians having to wear a helmet to be safe from .....BASE jumping from city buildings.....
Bugger , there is always a downside to freedoms .

[outnabike]

This was posted on another thread, but just have a look at the text from the mandatory wearers point of view.

"A push bike slammed into my car head-on, throwing the non-helmet wearing rider onto the bonnet, windscreen and then footpath." And after all that , the bloke is standing there and ok.
And all done with out a helmet.
Can't you just see the crowd saying (if he had a helmet) "lucky for him, the helmet saved his life". I prefer that the rider was wearing a helmet in that sort of accident, but just posing the obvious reverse type of thinking.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/n ... 6723158156" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[human909]

This was posted on another thread, but just have a look at the text from the mandatory wearers point of view.

"A push bike slammed into my car head-on, throwing the non-helmet wearing rider onto the bonnet, windscreen and then footpath." And after all that , the bloke is standing there and ok.
And all done with out a helmet.
Can't you just see the crowd saying (if he had a helmet) "lucky for him, the helmet saved his life". I prefer that the rider was wearing a helmet in that sort of accident, but just posing the obvious reverse type of thinking.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/n ... 6723158156" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also seems another case of GREEN car lights at the same time as a RED bike like. Bi directional lanes are a recipe for disaster. This incident is just another example.

[Xplora]

Two months it lay asleep, but the dead shall rise

Today the QLD enquiry into bike safety comes out, and should be recommending helmetless on footpaths and on PSPs. I'm stunned that Emerson can be skeptical about removing the law (given that the majority of the world follows this practice), but I get the feeling that most of the time Committees get what they want with these things (otherwise why would they bother).

[tubby74]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/quee ... 6770826919" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[human909]

but I get the feeling that most of the time Committees get what they want with these things (otherwise why would they bother).

You are more optimistic than I am. Look at what happened (or hasn't happened) with the 'Henry' tax review.

[Xplora]

but I get the feeling that most of the time Committees get what they want with these things (otherwise why would they bother).

You are more optimistic than I am. Look at what happened (or hasn't happened) with the 'Henry' tax review.

Political content - there was a lot more than just the Henry review that failed to happen - we need to take into account the context of the failure to implement. I think this one might get somewhere because the Libs are on the NOSE up there when it comes to 2 wheels. This might be a good one to beat their chest over, and claim a victory for the little people. I don't care what their motivation for change is, I just want change!

[myforwik]

The difference with an enquiry, in the way QLD do it, is that its led by and done by the MP's whote actually vote for the law and directly influence party policy.

If you look at the MP's, politically, they don't tend to get involved unless they have a good understanding that what they will find will be government poilcy. Opposition MP's get involved because otherwise - they basically have no political power (as there vote isn't going to count on the floor of parliament against a >50% government). So you end up with a bunch of MP's from both parties in the enquiry, and both parties supporting the recommendations. Some MP's in QLD have already said such and such recommendations *will* be implemented. Obviously they had already had this setup with LNP and Cambell Newman. (though it does look like some labor MP's snubbed it - did Desley Scott actually show up and do anything for the cycling enquiry? She was meant to be deputy chair!).

Compare that to the henry tax review. Basically no MP's involved. Government completely clueless as to what they were going to get out of it. Party completely undecided and divided. Party not even ready to implement the recommendations.

The cycling commision had pretty major MP's already pushed for fairly specific laws which most people already knew about.

[human909]

Fair point.

Thanks for the insight!

[Baldy]

Pssstt....hey, shhhh. AGF oppose any relaxation in MHL's, even for bike share schemes.

I was never here.

[Ken Ho]

Pssstt....hey, shhhh. AGF oppose any relaxation in MHL's, even for bike share schemes.

I was never here.

I see that as a plus, as they have pretty much entirely discredited themselves as an organization in recent times.
What purpose will they have if the 1.5m law gets passed ?

Ther might be a bunch of NGO drones looking for a new gig.